>If we choose higher-level layers, which identify more sophisticated features in images, complex features or even whole objects tend to emerge. Again, we just start with an existing image and give it to our neural net. We ask the network: “Whatever you see there, I want more of it!” This creates a feedback loop: if a cloud looks a little bit like a bird, the network will make it look more like a bird. This in turn will make the network recognize the bird even more strongly on the next pass and so forth, until a highly detailed bird appears, seemingly out of nowhere.

I would say that's a pretty good description of how many psychedelic hallucinations unfold. They start off as noise in your vision which turn into loose forms which turn into geometric patterns which turn into etc...

Some of these neural nets need to drink some orange juice and lie down for a few hours.

I'm reminded of Alex Grey's visionary art https://caudallure.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/1217891347094....

Yes, this is basically artificial pareidolia. The interesting thing is that this technique would work on any kind of similarly structured neural net.

If we want to progress AI, I seriously recommend these researchers try acid or magic mushrooms.

I remember reading that drugs block certain parts of the optical nerve, which itself is a bit like fractal.

Also, personally, these pictures looked 'trippy' due to color palette that reminds hippy raves, rather than fractals.